Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Missoula, MT

Each occupation's median wage in Missoula, MT compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Missoula, MT pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Missoula, MT run 3.6% below the national average (2024), so a Missoula, MT salary is worth about 1.04× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Missoula, MT

OccupationMedian, Missoula, MT · vs. national

1Correctional Officers and Jailers$79,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,730 – $98,220+35.3%
2Family Medicine Physicians$324,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$177,040 – $367,130+33.0%
3Firefighters$76,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,120 – $82,270+29.3%
4Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$83,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,760 – $101,030+26.5%
5Cooks, Fast Food$39,080
No formal educational credential
$22,360 – $49,540+26.5%
6Residential Advisors$53,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,320 – $58,810+26.1%
7Physicians, All Other$334,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$127,840 – $476,350+25.6%
8Electricians$79,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,240 – $81,150+25.4%
9Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$79,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,150 – $98,390+25.0%
10Rehabilitation Counselors$58,000
Master's degree
$37,650 – $58,000+23.8%
11Tire Repairers and Changers$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,040 – $47,560+23.1%
12Highway Maintenance Workers$61,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,510 – $74,840+21.8%
13Cargo and Freight Agents$63,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,540 – $75,990+20.6%
14Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$75,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,880 – $83,610+18.7%
15Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$59,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,880 – $77,560+17.8%
16Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$126,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,450 – $297,190+17.7%
17Skincare Specialists$53,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,640 – $88,590+17.6%
18Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$41,600
No formal educational credential
$30,180 – $49,070+16.6%
19Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$52,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,930 – $65,690+15.8%
20Painters, Construction and Maintenance$57,060
No formal educational credential
$35,150 – $62,150+15.5%
21Conservation Scientists$84,250
Bachelor's degree
$52,660 – $136,970+15.4%
22First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$107,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$88,210 – $107,000+14.4%
23Drafters, All Other$72,520
Associate's degree
$43,420 – $83,410+14.2%
24Forensic Science Technicians$82,200
Bachelor's degree
$66,980 – $104,410+14.1%
25Parts Salespersons$43,960
No formal educational credential
$28,970 – $59,610+13.8%
26Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$44,460
No formal educational credential
$34,980 – $58,690+13.6%
27General Internal Medicine Physicians$288,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,760 – $473,230+12.6%
28Roofers$62,310
No formal educational credential
$42,870 – $69,900+12.4%
29Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$66,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,320 – $81,420+10.9%
30Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$53,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,590 – $88,090+10.3%
31Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$71,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,360 – $92,820+9.3%
32Counter and Rental Clerks$45,050
No formal educational credential
$29,260 – $68,440+9.1%
33Packers and Packagers, Hand$39,520
No formal educational credential
$23,140 – $48,880+8.9%
34Surveyors$81,940
Bachelor's degree
$48,380 – $123,450+8.6%
35Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$58,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,610 – $58,870+8.6%
36Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$49,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,430 – $64,370+8.5%
37Cashiers$35,610
No formal educational credential
$26,210 – $41,600+8.3%
38Butchers and Meat Cutters$43,460
No formal educational credential
$34,610 – $60,080+8.3%
39Forest and Conservation Technicians$58,990
Associate's degree
$43,660 – $80,330+8.1%
40Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,550
No formal educational credential
$48,790 – $72,370+7.9%
41First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$113,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,940 – $144,890+7.5%
42Surveying and Mapping Technicians$58,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,270 – $78,830+7.1%
43Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$64,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,040 – $79,210+7.0%
44Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,900
No formal educational credential
$35,680 – $47,230+6.6%
45Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$54,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,430 – $61,770+6.5%
46Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,490 – $44,560+6.3%
47Pharmacy Technicians$48,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,730 – $61,560+6.2%
48Detectives and Criminal Investigators$99,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,420 – $158,060+6.2%
49Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$37,860
No formal educational credential
$28,440 – $48,080+6.2%
50Postal Service Mail Carriers$64,250
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040+6.1%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMissoula, MT	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,720	$62,730 – $98,220	+35.3%
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$324,810	$177,040 – $367,130	+33.0%
3	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,620	$45,120 – $82,270	+29.3%
4	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,230	$51,760 – $101,030	+26.5%
5	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$39,080	$22,360 – $49,540	+26.5%
6	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,250	$42,320 – $58,810	+26.1%
7	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$334,110	$127,840 – $476,350	+25.6%
8	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,250	$49,240 – $81,150	+25.4%
9	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,750	$48,150 – $98,390	+25.0%
10	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$58,000	$37,650 – $58,000	+23.8%
11	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$37,040 – $47,560	+23.1%
12	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,230	$60,510 – $74,840	+21.8%
13	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,010	$46,540 – $75,990	+20.6%
14	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,860	$47,880 – $83,610	+18.7%
15	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,650	$40,880 – $77,560	+17.8%
16	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$126,330	$62,450 – $297,190	+17.7%
17	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,320	$23,640 – $88,590	+17.6%
18	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$41,600	$30,180 – $49,070	+16.6%
19	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,890	$38,930 – $65,690	+15.8%
20	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$57,060	$35,150 – $62,150	+15.5%
21	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,250	$52,660 – $136,970	+15.4%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$107,000	$88,210 – $107,000	+14.4%
23	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$72,520	$43,420 – $83,410	+14.2%
24	Forensic Science TechniciansBachelor's degree	$82,200	$66,980 – $104,410	+14.1%
25	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$43,960	$28,970 – $59,610	+13.8%
26	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$44,460	$34,980 – $58,690	+13.6%
27	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$288,870	$69,760 – $473,230	+12.6%
28	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$62,310	$42,870 – $69,900	+12.4%
29	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,550	$49,320 – $81,420	+10.9%
30	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,560	$40,590 – $88,090	+10.3%
31	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,610	$55,360 – $92,820	+9.3%
32	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$45,050	$29,260 – $68,440	+9.1%
33	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$39,520	$23,140 – $48,880	+8.9%
34	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$81,940	$48,380 – $123,450	+8.6%
35	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,870	$41,610 – $58,870	+8.6%
36	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,430	$41,430 – $64,370	+8.5%
37	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$35,610	$26,210 – $41,600	+8.3%
38	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$43,460	$34,610 – $60,080	+8.3%
39	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,990	$43,660 – $80,330	+8.1%
40	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,550	$48,790 – $72,370	+7.9%
41	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,990	$73,940 – $144,890	+7.5%
42	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,080	$46,270 – $78,830	+7.1%
43	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,050	$47,040 – $79,210	+7.0%
44	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,900	$35,680 – $47,230	+6.6%
45	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,010	$38,430 – $61,770	+6.5%
46	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,050	$29,490 – $44,560	+6.3%
47	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,570	$37,730 – $61,560	+6.2%
48	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,560	$62,420 – $158,060	+6.2%
49	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$37,860	$28,440 – $48,080	+6.2%
50	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$64,250	$43,120 – $81,040	+6.1%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Missoula, MT

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